After a slight mixup with our GPS (this isn’t the first time, back at Montana State University on the first tour it led us to the middle of a field instead of our hotel) we arrived on campus at California State University Long Beach and were greeted by over a dozen volunteers. Within minutes we had the truck unloaded and volunteers began spreading the bags among the grass and trees on the Speaker’s Platform Lawn.

Throughout the day we had thousands of students, faculty, and community members passing through this display. Luckily, we weren’t the only ones set up for the event. We were joined by several others, such as Project Ocean (which stands for On Campus Emergency Assistance Network), The Trevor Project, CSULB’s counseling and wellness services, and more. We are always thrilled to have others groups and organizations joining along for the day, especially when we can all help direct visitors to the most relevant places possible to have their questions answered.

One of those questions that comes up a lot is “what do I do now?” Although this is a one day event at each campus, the idea doesn’t end when we pack up for the day. I thought it’d be great to get some local ideas on what people could do, so I asked Keishawn Anderson, the chapter president for Active Minds at CSULB, what she hopes people “take home” from the event. She mentioned that she hopes people walk away from the day ready to be “ambassadors” for mental health. I thought that was a fantastic way of summing up a major part of what we are doing out here, and a way that anyone can become a part of this movement. Whether you’re currently struggling, have struggled in the past, or are feeling fine, we have opportunities every day to help take care of both ourselves and those around us.

Keishawn had a lot of fantastic thoughts about the display, so I ended up taking out my microphone to capture some of her thoughts:

Well, San Francisco, you brought it all to our September 20^th Send Silence Packing display! Our first California city event, held in the United Nations Plaza, kept us on our toes from morning ‘til night.

After our wonderful tour start in Chico, the Road Staff said a sad (but temporary) goodbye to Program/Tour Manager Candace, then picked up Active Minds Program Director Sara. Throughout the next couple of days we had business meetings, planned our first major California city display, and even squeezed in a bit of hiking in several of the surrounding parks.

Knowing our San Francisco display was going to be an endurance test—we had our display spot for a full 11 hours—we prepped the night before and arose early to set everything up. With most of our volunteers stuck in traffic, setup was a challenge with just a few of us! Because the U.N. Plaza is located right in the middle of several museums and government offices, we knew there would be a lot of foot traffic. But we couldn’t know just how much there would be! From executives to skateboarders and homeless people to tourists, we saw it all, talked to them all, and discovered an incredibly diverse San Francisco.

Our volunteers came from so many backgrounds. We had parents who had donated backpacks in the name of their sons and daughters. We had students from the Active Minds chapter at San Francisco State. A group of volunteers from Fresno City College had left their homes at 4AM just to come and help. We even had a suicide attempt survivor—a man who had jumped off a bridge, survived the attempt, and turned around his life to do motivational speeches—come out and help.

The people who came to talk with us were incredibly interesting, and had gone through so much in life. From those currently struggling with mental health disorders to people who had suffered family and friend losses due to suicide, San Francisco delivered it all. In the midst of handing out thousands of flyers and information packets, we were joined by Jade Chamness of Break Through the Static, a suicide support organization for teens, Mental Health America, and representatives from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. There were challenges throughout the long day, as many of the local residents presumed the backpacks to be for sale, so our terrific volunteers kept a tight watch on the bags all day.

Because of our record 11-hour display, we had a shortage of volunteers to help pack up. That’s when our recruiting skills came in handy! We had a skateboarder sitting by the side come help us pack up, and Clay, a local fellow who offered to carry the larger equipment, was a huge help indeed. San Franciscan residents didn’t stop or slow down throughout the entire day, and even throughout packing up, we were fielding many questions with just a few story bags left out for display. Dozens and dozens of passersby kept asking what the bags represented, and we had conversations with visitors from Africa, students from Germany, residents of California, and so many more.

All in all, San Francisco really brought the excitement! There was never a dull moment with this display, and we were happy that despite the challenges of the day, we reached out to thousands and thousands of people. With a splendid view of the magnificent city hall looming behind us, we couldn’t have asked for a better place to share our message.

Our first Send Silence Packing display of the California Fall 2011 tour was an incredible success! Held yesterday at California State University, Chico, it was viewed by thousands of students and visitors alike.

1,100 backpacks are laid out at in Chico to kick off the Fall 2011 tour

The wonderful people of Chico worked hard to have Send Silence Packing visit the campus, and we couldn’t have asked for a better kickoff event. We’d already met Active Minds Chapter President Ariel Ellis at the previous night’s pizza party, but we weren’t prepared for the large number of volunteers who came out to support her—and the chapter! With the help of chapter members, fraternities, friends, and locals, we were set up in under an hour and ready to show support.

Plenty of students stopped by the Rose Garden lawn to gaze at the backpacks, and several professors brought classes outside to experience the display. We spoke with locals, college tour groups, graduate students, area visitors, and more, and so many people from Chico told us how much the display meant to them. From local workmen to visiting parents, the display made a big impact on such a beautiful, sunny California day.

What really set the Chico display apart was that it was truly an event. In addition to the Send Silence Packing display, various organizations came out to support us and create awareness about their mental health-related causes. The Wellness Center had an interactive display, the fitness center came out, the Stonewall Alliance of Chico–supporting the LGBTTQQIA (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Transexual Questioning Queer Intersex and Ally) community—had a tent, and many more organizations had outdoor booths. What made the event even more unique was the presence of two very special tables.

One was a display by Dan Strauss, the father of Alex Strauss. Alex took his life just last year, and Dan (“Alex’s Dad,” as he likes to be called) is working hard to raise suicide awareness. Based on current studies that have found young adults better able to communicate via text messaging, he’s working hard to get suicide help lines to accept texts, not just calls. Alex’s dad will be sending a backpack to the display immediately, and we’ll be honored to display it with the tour. Dan was an inspiration to talk to and volunteered the entire day to help spread the word.

Alex's Dad helped out throughout the day while sharing his and Alex's story.

The other table that made a huge impact was that of Mike and Mary Gonzalez. Eight years ago their vibrant daughter, Suzy, became depressed while away at college. She looked for help on online suicide groups, and it was there that online predators convinced her to end her life. Suzy’s parents are lobbying for change, and are trying to get a new law (H.R. 1183) put in place that would make it a punishable crime to assist suicide online. Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez were on hand promoting the upcoming Out of the Darkness Walk as well, but their story about Suzy really struck a chord.

Students show their support by signing a banner at the display

Though it was completely heartbreaking to speak with these supporters, having the parents of Alex Strauss and Suzy Gonzalez tell their personal stories really brought the display to a new level.  We’re so grateful that they came out, along with interns and counselors from the Wellness Center. Our volunteers were absolutely incredible, and many stayed all day to pass out flyers (more than 1,000 of them!), speak with people about the display, and help with setup and breakdown.

Volunteers help load up the truck at the end of the day

After everything was packed back up in the truck, we took a stroll around campus and enjoyed walking alongside the campus creek. The Road Staff, along with project manager Candace, then freshened up back at our hotel. We all walked into town for dinner with Ariel and Aaron, at The Bear, Chico’s local burger joint, which was soon followed by an outing to Schubert’s famous ice cream. Send Silence Packing would never have made it out to Chico if not for Ariel (whose chapter size has now quadrupled!), and yet she was the one who got us presents! We all received a Chico Bag, which is a locally made compact reusable bag, as well as a Chico Wildcats keychain that we’ve attached to the SSP truck key. Yes, we like our truck swag!

All in all, the CSU, Chico event was an absolutely incredible experience. We’re so happy to have been a part of it, and we can’t thank our awesome volunteers enough for making the display a huge success. The Fall 2011 Tour bar has been set high! Thank you for everything, and we hope to see you again soon.

Tomorrow morning is the official kickoff of the Send Silence Packing Fall 2011 California Tour! We’ll be starting our first display bright and early at California State University, Chico.

Welcome to San Francisco!

Before we get into that, you’re probably wondering what we’ve been doing for the past few days! As it turns out, we’ve been up to quite a bit. After Brandon and I flew to San Francisco and arrived at our hotel, we got organized and started going over tour materials. After picking up our California tour truck up the next morning and meeting our tour manager, Candace, we drove to Oakland and unloaded the moving truck. The Active Minds materials and backpacks had arrived after a long trip over from Washington, D.C., so we pulled up the new Send Silence Packing truck and started transferring everything over. The three of us made quick work of everything, but I had a few moments to catch several shots of us in action.

Candace moving bags out of the moving truck

Done with packing up the new SSP truck

Our on-the-road home for the next 40 days

The proud and determined Road Staff!

After admiring our packing job (and the roominess of our spacious truck!) we drove back to our hotel room. We went through more training and and worked out logistics, then drove into San Francisco for some free time. Though parking in the city was no easy feat, we found a spot and spent the next few hours exploring the city. We walked through the Mission, the Financial District, Chinatown, and more. After five miles of walking, we were fairly beat! It was time for a movie and some sleep.

Into the city

Today we said goodbye to hotel #1 and drove to the center of San Francisco. On Tuesday, September 20^th, we’ll be doing a city display at the U.N. Plaza, so this morning we went to scope out the space and meet with the park ranger. After that it was on the road to Chico, which is a 3-hour drive north of San Francisco. We drove past rolling hills and walnut farms, finally landing at our hotel rooms just in town.

On the road to Chico

After settling in, we walked to campus and had the opportunity to meet Ariel, the Chapter President for Active Minds, and Mimi, the Student Advisor. There were also quite a few members who came out to the meeting and pizza party to welcome us! After introductions and a brief look at the spot for our first display, we ended up walking to Chico’s popular Thursday Night Market for some fresh produce and exploration. It was really a terrific way to end the night.

That’s a bit about what we’ve been up to the past few days, and from here on out it will get quite busy. We’re truly looking forward to our first California display, so we’d better get some rest. Be on the lookout for our Chico blog post, and we’ll update you soon!

Hello there! We are Brandon and Kathryn. We will be on the road for the next month helping take Send Silence Packing displays around California, and also sharing our experiences from the tour with you. We’d like to each take a moment to introduce ourselves before we get started with the tour.

From Brandon:

As I write this I am currently cruising 34,000 feet over the middle of the United States heading towards San Francisco to kick off my third Send Silence Packing tour. This will be a first time for both the tour and myself finding its way to the west coast and I couldn’t be more excited.

For those new to the blog, my name is Brandon and I will be on the road with my new tour partner, Kathryn, throughout the next month. I began my relationship with Active Minds back in the Spring of 2010 during the first national tour. The following spring I re-joined up to help with the second tour and have been privileged to be a part of 24 Send Silence Packing displays.

Every display has its own story that makes it memorable, and Kathryn and I are looking forward to using this blog to both help bring the experience of Send Silence Packing to those that cannot physically attend and to share in remembering the memories with those that can. I’d like to invite everyone to share your thoughts, comments and questions on any post—after all, a major part of what we’re trying to do is start a conversation. We would be thrilled if you would join in.

From Kathryn:

Hi there, and welcome to my first post on the Send Silence Packing blog! As the newest member of this traveling team, I’d like to introduce myself and tell you about the amazing trip we’re about to take. I’m Kathryn Cooper, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with my Road Staff partner Brandon Doman and the entire Active Minds team!

I hail from New York, where I’ve worked in the creative media industry–that is, writing, photography, video, and more–for about five years. I majored in both psychology and music performance at Ithaca College, and throughout my time there, I was always involved in tons of different clubs, events, and activities on campus. I worked with my school’s Mental Health Department, cooked with the Food Arts Club, went on outdoor adventure retreats, and organized board game nights for friends and strangers alike.

Unable to decide on just one career, I took my variety of interests and worked to turn them into real-life job skills. I’ve done research and casting for the Food Network, copywriting for local and national brands, time-lapse photography, innovation and brainstorming, and much more. I even left the U.S. for a while to independently volunteer and travel around Southeast Asia, where I taught, farmed, photographed events, and created videos for nonprofits.

When I saw the job opening to become a Road Staff team member, I realized it would be my perfect opportunity to impact others, learn, and create positive awareness about mental health while using my creative media experience. So in just a short time, Brandon and I will be flying to California and spending a month on the road, visiting college campuses from L.A. to San Francisco. We’ll be blogging, creating videos, and posting photos throughout our trip, and I truly hope you’ll follow along. I realize that the heartbreaking stories we’ll hear–as well as the life-on-the-road stresses we’ll face–will be challenging along the way, but I know that working with the Active Minds team is going to be an incredible experience. Let’s go!

Active Minds Send Silence Packing is making it way to California this fall. The tour is kicking off on September 16th at California State University-Chico.

Send Silence Packing will continue to travel through California until October 17th. Our acclaimed suicide awareness program will be making stops at 10 campuses, including two California State Universities, three University of California campuses, and for the first time ever two community college campuses. We will also be hosting city displays in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Below is the complete list of the tour dates and locations.

Fall 2011 Tour Schedule

• Friday, September 16 – California State Univ. – Chico (Chico, CA)
• Tuesday, September 20 – United Nations Plaza (San Francisco, CA)
• Thursday, September 22 – California State Univ. – Long Beach (Long Beach, CA)
• Sunday, September 25 – Alive and Running 5K Walk/Run for Suicide Prevention (Los Angeles, CA)
• Tuesday, September 27 – Pitzer College (Claremont, CA)
• Thursday, September 29 – Chapman University (Orange, CA)
• Monday, October 3 – College of the Desert (Palm Desert, CA)
• Thursday, October 6 – Mt. San Jacinto College (San Jacinto, CA)
• Monday, October 10 – University of California – Irvine (Irvine, CA)
• Wednesday, October 12 – University of California – Riverside (Riverside, CA)
• October 14 or October 15 – Los Angeles city display (final date and location pending)
• Monday, October 17 – UCLA (Los Angeles, CA)

If you are in California this fall, we encourage you to visit one of the Send Silence Packing displays.

Active Minds Send Silence Packing is a display of 1,100 backpacks representing the 1,100 college student lives lost to suicide each year.  Active Minds Inc. has collected and continues to collect backpacks and personal stories in memory or in honor of loved ones impacted by suicide.  By displaying backpacks with personal stories of loved ones that put a “face” to lives lost to suicide, Send Silence Packing carries the message that preventing suicide is not just about lowering statistics, but also about saving the lives of students, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters and friends across the nation.The display aims to spread awareness about college student suicide and initiate a dialogue on this heavily stigmatized topic.